War

.—Of all things in this world, it seems to
me most strange, that men, large parties of men,
perfectly indifferent to, and ignorant of the merits
of ths dispute, should voluntarily enter into the
service of a sanguinary tyrant, and, as far as in them
lay, to massacre and destroy their fellow-creatures
who are opposed to them, and who are as innocent
and as ignorant as they, of the whole subject and
occasion of quarrel. Is it that the sound of fife
and drum, the trumpet and bugle-horn, or any
other martial music, possesseth such a savage charm?
I am a man, but it has no such an effect on me.
Is it that the garish splendor of a camp, the emblematic
vestment of the soldier, the glittering of
aems, the roar of cannon, the display of gaudy colours,
or any other military trappings, possess
such a savage charm? I am a man, but they have
no such effect on me. Is it that the leisurable,
easeful life of the military, the mildness of their
manners, possesseth such a savage charm? I am
a man, but I confess thse things have no such
effect on me. Or, is it that these men are sectarists,
and have doctrines, creeds, and opinions peculiar
to themselves; that love war, bloodshed and rapine,
and internecion in the abstract? I am a
man, subject to frailty in common with other men,
but I could never yet convince myself, that the
destruction of the human species was a lovely and
desirable occupation, so that a man could listlessly
enter into it, as into a trade, by way of getting a
livelihood. Whence then this fond desire, this
madness after slaughter? is it any consolation or
solace when wounded, to see your enemy by your
side extended breathless on the plain? Oh soldiers,
soldiers! lay not the flattering unction to your
souls, that you are heroes! You are nothing but
murderers; butchers. When you began to be
soldiers, you ceased to be men! Do you delight
in blood, and in the sweet tuneful groans of
dying animals? set up the trade of butchers at once;
there must be such men in civilized society. But
do not murder man for gold. If ye are soldiers,
ye cannot be virtuous men. You are more abandoned
and depraved even than the priests. Let
them then gain the summit of their wishes and their
ambition, viz. the ascendant in human depravity,
the acme of human wickedness, the climax of mortal
guilt. Bow to them with humility, leave to
then the crimson palm, they are your superiors in
invention, and would be in action if they dared!
Still I am bewildered how to account for this universal
and brutal rage for massacre, which seems to
have stagnated and palsied every human sentiment,
and stopped at once all the noble workings of nature
which once glowed in your bosoms! I have only
one way more to account for your unjustifiable dereliction
from all principle of virtue, only one
cause more that could possibly induce you to such
a dreadful effect, and that cause is, want. If this
be the cause of your joining a lawless band of hired
assassins, then you are exonerated from a load
of guilt; still however burthened with a load of
remaining guilt, for you cannot be virtuous if you
are soldiers. It is then to you, O iniquitous Governments!
that mankind is indebted for this
awful calamity! You starve your people, and
then the loud calls of Nature force them into a
compliance and concurrence with you in plunder
and murder! You take away their earnings, and
destroy their commerce, and then inlist them under
your bloody banners! You depopulate the world,
and then hie to your corrupted churches, to pay
your filthy adoration to an all-benevolent God, to
thank him for what he has done, as if he was a
cruel and vindictive being like yourselves! Why
don’t you ordain your priests to drink hot blood
at the altar, and devour human carcases, by way
of celebrating the Lord’s supper? You will want
but little of imagination then to believe in
transubstantiation!
They’ll do’t if you order them.
It will inspire your troops with the true bloodhound
vigor; and you may then, with some effect,